The present invention relates to detachable coupons for laminated packaging material, and more particularly to a detachable coupon for laminated packaging material with a corrugated substrate.
It has become common place to provide redeemable coupons along with packaged merchandise. Such merchandise coupons may be provided in a number of ways. First, the coupon may be enclosed within the merchandise package. Second, the coupon may be releasably affixed to the exterior surface of the merchandise package. Third, the coupon may be printed on the exterior surface of the merchandise package.
Enclosing the coupon within the merchandise package carries with it the attendant disadvantage that the coupon cannot be redeemed until the merchandise package is opened. Releasably affixing the coupon to the exterior surface of the merchandise package carries with it the attendant disadvantage that the coupon is often lost or stolen during handling of the merchandise package prior to sale. Printing the coupon on the exterior surface of the merchandise package carries with it the attendant disadvantage that the coupon must be removed with a knife or scissors, thereby destroying the integrity of the merchandise package.
Attempts have been made to provide coupons of the third type which may be removed without destroying the integrity of the packaging material. One such method for laminated packaging material is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,393. As there disclosed, the exterior surface of a glossy finish paper outer ply is imprinted with the desired package printing material including a redeemable coupon, a release agent or adhesive-repellant medium is imprinted on the rear surface of the coupon portion of the outer ply, and the outer ply is laminated to a relatively rigid paperboard or cardboard inner ply by means of an intervening adhesive layer. Subsequent to lamination, a tear outline defining the coupon area is cut through the outer ply, release agent and adhesive layer to provide for removal of the coupon without damage to the inner ply of the packaging material. A similar method without use of the release agent or adhesive-repellant medium is also disclosed for packaging material comprised of a laminated inner ply.
Although the method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,393 is suitable for laminated packaging material comprised of a relatively rigid paperboard or cardboard inner ply, it is not suitable for packaging material having a corrugated inner ply. Since corrugated material, unlike relatively rigid paperboard or cardboard, is subject to crushing, it is not feasible to die cut a perforated tear outline in the outer ply of laminated corrugated packaging material subsequent to lamination. In fact, for this same reason final die cutting and creasing of laminated corrugated packaging material must be performed from the inner ply side rather than the outer ply side in order to avoid crushing of the corrugated flutes.
Thus, despite the existence of detachable coupons for laminated packaging material generally, there remains a need for a coupon which can be detachably incorporated into an outer ply of laminated corrugated packaging material.